SUPPORT BUILDING AGAINST UNFUNDED MANDATES

-- State and local officials "have seriously exaggerated the costs" of unfunded mandates;

-- There is a huge pot of "unmandated federal funds" for which few or no strings are attached that cities, counties, and states can tap into;

-- State and local governments do not deserve relief from unfunded mandates because many of the regulations are "voluntary"...all according to the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

As Harry Truman used to say, some people are so firmly in possession of the truth that the facts don't seem to matter. This is what has happened to the NRDC in light of the mis-truths it's spreading about the Federal Mandate Relief Act, H.R. 140, of which I am a cosponsor.

It makes sense that these environmental zealots are up-in-arms because our proposal has now gained the necessary signatures to pass the House of Representatives. H.R. 140 would end the practice of Washington imposing unfunded mandates on state and local governments (Safe Drinking Water Act, Endangered Species Act, Clean Air Act) by ensuring the federal government pays the costs incurred for implementation.

For too long, the heavy hands of an out-of-touch federal government have squeezed more and more resources out of states and local communities through unfunded mandates. This era of the federal government's "Do as I say, even if I won't compensate you" philosophy must come to an end before state and local governments are strangled into bankruptcy.

The Federal Mandate Relief Act makes the federal government literally pay for its decisions and hopefully become more responsible for its actions. As I have long contended, there must be some wisdom and common sense to H.R. 140 when opponents have to resort to deception and outright lies to confuse the folks who pay Washington's bills -- the American taxpayer.